Electric iron assembly



Feb. 15, 1949.

` Filed May 17, 1944 W. H. MAGLELLAND ETAL ELECTRIC IRON ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 or-negs.

Feb. l5, 1949.. w. H. McLELLAND .ET Al. 2,461,562

ELECTRIC IIRONv ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1'7, 1944 Fig 8 Inventors William H.McLcLLand.

M w AM t M P E Patented Feb. 151943 UNITED 'This invention relates to sadirons and more `'particularly to sadirons of the electrically operated automatically controlled type. The invention is directed especially to construction of it is an object of the invention to provide an improved sadiron construction 4and more vparticularly to provide an improved construction lwherein component parts 'be assembled conveniently ner so as to leave no exposed fastening devices. vIt is a further object of the invention to provide improved sadiro'n sub-assemblies 'and constructions wherein component parts of the sadiron'apl. paratus are housed within the handle thereof. It E125 bly 1s more 'fully described 1n Our @Opendmg aP plication -entitied Sadiron assembly Ser. No. 535,915?, filed of even date herewith. Reference is made to said eopending applications for fullis also an object of the invention to provideirnproved structure and method of fastening the component parts together particularly for the STATES fPA'TENT OFFICE ELECTRIC IRON ASSEMBLY William H. McLelland, Mansfield, Ohio, and Eric Il. Ajax, Minneapolis, Minn., ass'gnors, by mesne assignments, to Argus, Incorporated, Ann Arbor, Mich., a corporation oi Michigan Application May 17, 1944, Serial No. 535,92()

8 Claims. (Clt 21S- 25) i4, Figure 8.

of the apparatus may fastening of the sadiron handle to 'the 'sadiron 'er description of the base assembly.

Other and further objects of the invention are those inherent in the apparatus herein illustrated, described and claimed.

The invention is described with 'reference v:to the drawings in which the nate corresponding parts and in which Figure 1 is aside'elev'ational'view;

Figure 2 is a sideelevationial View partly insection indicating the Vinterior construction of v'the n apparatus shown in Figure 1; Iii

Figure 3 is a plan view, partly in section taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 3 3 0f Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a cover remaining parts;

Figure 5 is a bottom View of the 'coverplate and handle and Various related parts taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure S is a plan view, partly in section, taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 6-6 of Figure l igure 7 is a cross sectional view'taken along vFigure 2;

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view'along'the line and in the direction of arroWs'S-S of Figure `2; Figure 9 is afragmentary sectional view'of'the in the direction of varrows S-S'of Figure 6; and

vcustomary shape, as illustratedin Figures 3 and 6. The sole plate is arranged to be heated by an electric heater of the resistance type generally designated i! which is heldin place upon the sole .the sadiron shell and handle structure. 5 plate by means of a pressure pla-te `l2 `which fis screwed to the sole plate by a plurality vofscrews The pressure plate serves as a mounting for a thermostatically 4operated control element generally designated l5 which per se 'at low costs inia manil) 'forms no part of the present invention, the details thereof being claimed in our copencling application entitled Electric iron, Ser. No. 535,918, flied concurrently herewith. The construction of the sole plate, heaterand pressure plate assemsole plate construction 20 and the thermostatic control apparatus. The sole plate, `hea-ter, pressure plate and thermostatic control are-enclosed in ashell generally designated l 'l vwhich is vshaped to conform to the "shape of the 'sole plate except for the rear portion I8 ofthe ame mum-faqs*degign et shell which 'overhangs the sole plate, as indi- 'cated inlFigur'es 2, '3 and 6. Uponthe soleplate Ithere is mounted a-s'kirt plate 20 whichlkewise Vextends at 4the rear of the sole plate and forms 'an extended base into which vthe rear portion 1.8 of the-shell is `adapted to ".t neatly. The skirt 'plate `2l vis, provided with protuberances 2| at its yrear edge which serve with cthe tip IDI of the lhandle `tofiorrn athree-point rest for the iron when theironis tippedbackwardly. The `shell I1 is plate element of the invention removed from Athe 'to provdd- With astl'ngthening rib 22 'andthe P- lper surface of the shell is shapedas indicated in Figures' 7, 8 and 9 so as to presentfiat areas 524, 'the nat areas being smoothly curved downwardly throughout the area 2S and `2'l to the .40 lowermost edge ofthe shell,

areas 2G of the shell Vthereis a raised portion 28 having iongitudinal upwardly extending rib 29 extending along-the center line of the shell from the rearportion 3% the forward end 3i where the line and in the direction of arrows 1-1 of '45 the .Tbbel-S into the 'fiat area '3E having an opening 3K3 therein. The ropening 34 is for the attachment of fastening screw 35 which extends from the `Y`upper suriace of the shell and is threaded into a central'boss i3 of the .pressure shell and cover plate tellen along the line and so Plate 'il FOI'Wo-dly of the opening ff-@ Shell .Between the flat is provided with a depression 36 Tor-clearance purposes, as hereinafter' described, and'theshell is provided with a threaded hole 32' or, if desired, a nut maybe loosely supported under the shell at provided a solef-platev generally designated tIl) 'of 55 this point-for the attachment ofthe handle, to be described. The rear end of the shell is provided with openings 38 through which handle attachment screws are inserted in a manner to be described. Near the back portion 36 of the rib there is provided an enlarged opening 40 (which receives a downwardly embossed threaded opening 92 of the plate 59, as hereinafter described) and also three openings 4|, 42 and 43 for passage of wiring connections into the interior of the shell. The wiring connections extend to the electric heater element II and thermostatic control I5. The rear portion 44 of the shell is smoothly curved downwardly to the rear edge I8 and is provided with an opening 45 through which the control shaft 46 and the adjustment screw 47 of the thermostatic control are accessible.

Upon the upper portion of the shell there is portion 55 of suitable shape so as comfortably to nt the hand of the operator, and a front support portion Si? and rear support portion 98. The rear support portion is provided with a backwardiy extending tip 53| which serves with the protuherance 25| as a rest for the iron when the iron is tipped backwardly. The rear handle support d8 has rearwardly extending portions E02 and H54, illustrated in Figures 1 3, which are i readed to receive a pair of attachment screws it which extend upwardly from the skirt 2i? through the openings 38 of the shell and openings 5S and te of the cover plate and thence into threaded holes in the portions |32 and |34 of the handle. lf desired, inserts may be mounted into these portions of the handle for better attachmounted a cover plate generally designated '59.

The middle portion of the cover plate 50 forms the exposed upper surface of the iron structure, as illustrated in Figure 1, but the forward and rear portions 5| and 52 of the cover plate extend under the handle, when the handle is in place on the iron.'v The cover plate is illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 8 and 9, Figure 5 being a bottom view of the cover plate with the handle attached. The cover plate lincludes a smoothly curved central area 54 terminating in marginal iiat areas 55 and 5S at each side of the cover plate. At the rear end of the cover plate there are provided downwardly embossed areas '51 and 58 which are provided with holes 5S and $0, respectively, to match the holes 38-38 in the shell. The downwardly embossed areas 51 and 58 serve to space the rear portion of the cover plate from the corresponding area of the shell. Somewhat forwardly of the embossed areas 51 and 58 there are another pair of embossed areas 63 and 64 which are likewise apertured at 55 and 56. Near the front end of the cover plate there are an additional pair of downwardly embossed areas `Fil and 68, likewise apertured as indicated at 59 and lil. The forward end of the cover plate is provided with a downwardly extending rib 'I3 extending along the center line of the cover plate, the rib being apertured as indicated at 14. The cover plate is provided'with an enlarged aperture 16 having a side indentation 'Il'. The aperture provides access to the attachment screw 35 which holds the shell Y|'I to the sole plate and the side indentation 'Il' provides for the passage of insulating wire connection 18 fora purpose to be described. Upon the forward end of the cover plate there is mounted a pilot lamp socket generally designated 89 mounted upon iusulator 8| and held in place by rivet 82 which passes through the cover plate and is insulated therefrom by the insulating washer 84. An insulated electric wire 85 extends from the rivet 82 rearwardly of the cover plate. At the rear end of the cover plate there are three spaced openings 86, el and 88, spaced and located so as to match the openings 4I, 42 and 43 in the shell. In addition the cover plate is provided with two smaller openings 9B and 9i through which the electric wires 'I8 and 35 extend upwardly from the bottom side of the cover plate to the terminal block generally designated I5. The cover platehas a downwardly embossed threaded opening 92 for the attachment of the terminal block I6, to be described, the boss 92 being of a size such as to fit into the hole 4l) in the shell when the cover plate is assembled on the shell, as indicated in Figure 2. Y

For manipulating the iron there is provided a handlel generally designated 95 having a grip ment of the screws, although this is not essential. The rear support 98 rests on the Cover plate only the small circular area at the base of portions E32 and it@ or" the handle surrounding the attachment screws led and H35 and the small marginal area each side of the rear portion 98 of the iron handle, one of these areas being indicated at lill' in Figure l.

The remaining edge of the rear handle 98 is spaced a short distance from the upper surface of the cover plate 5S, as indicated at Hi8 and |99. The rear handle support 98 is smoothly curved downwardly as indicated at IIll to blend into the contours of the combined shell and cover plate assembly.

The rear handle support is recessed at I i I, the recess being open at the bottom for access thereto when the handle is removed from the iron subassembly. rEhe electrical cord II2 leading to the iron is attached, preferably, to the right hand wall I i4 and enters the iron through an aperture H5, as'shown in Figure 2, the electrical connections being extended from that point through ilexible wires IEE and i il to the junction block I E. The junction block is of a size such that it nests into the recess I l I in the rear handle support and is made of insulating material. The junction block is provided with three terminal pieces I2I, |22 and |23 that are fastened together in any suitable manner. The junction block itself of insulating material is fastened to the shell by means of screw |24. which extends. through an opening in the junction block to a threaded aperture 91.? of the cover plate. At the bottom of the junction block there are provided three downwardly extending apertured insulating tips |25, 25 and l2? which extend entirely through the apertures 85, 8'! and 88 of the cover plate 5i! and through the apertures 4I, 42 and 43 of the shell into the interior of the shell, as indicated in Figure 2. Lead wire connections from terminals I2I, E22 and E23 extend downwardly through apertures |25', 25 and l2?" into the interior of the iron and there are connected in the manner shown in our copending application entitled Electric iron, Ser. No. 535,918, led concurrently herewith to which reference is here made, the three lead wires being connected to the thermostatic control element generally designated i5 and heater element generally designated i I. The terminal block iii is also provided with two grooves ISE and i3! positioned so as to match apertures 9| and 9E respectively, of the cover plate 5i. when the junction block I6 is in place thereon. The insulated electric wires i8 and 85, Figure 5, which extend backwardly along the bottom surface of the plate 59 are led upwardly through the openings 99 and 9i, respectively, and grooves |30 and |3| and are connected to terminals I2I and |22,

Vfront handle support, screw means extending vupwardly through the shell into the rear handle support and screw means extending downwardly through the front handle support into the shell.

2. An electric iron comprising a sole plate, an electrical heating element therefor mounted on said'sole plate, a shell mounted on said sole plate for enclosing said heater element, a plate shaped so as to cover the top portion of said shell mounted on it in superimposed relationship, a pilot lamp mounted on said plate at the forward end thereof, an electrical wiring junction block mounted on the rear end of said plate, wiring connections extending from the junction block to the electrical heater element within the shell and additional connections extending from the junction block and between the shell and plate to the pilot lamp, a handle having a grip portion and integral front and rear support portions, said support portions being spaced and recessed at the bottom for receiving and enclosing the pilot lamp in the front support and the junction block in the rear support when the handle is in place on the iron, and screw means for detachably securing the front and rear handle supports to the shell.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further characterized in that the screw means for detachably securing the rear handle support extends through the shell upwardly into the walls of the rear handle' support and the screw means for detachably securing the front handle supper-t extends downwardly from a countersunk recess in the front handle support and into the shell, and a decorative externally removable cover plate is secured to the front handle support and over said countersunk recess.

4. An electric iron sub-assembly comprising a sole plate, an electric heater element mounted thereon, a covering shell mounted on the sole plate so as to enclose the upper part thereof and said heater element, a plate shaped so as to cover thel top part of the shell mounted on the shell, a rib extending upwardly in the covering shell and Y extending forwardly thereon, said plate having a smooth portion in contact with said shell rib and said plate extending forward beyond the rib and said forward extended portion of the plate being formed with a downwardly extending center line rib4 of a sire to rest in Contact with the forward end of the covering shell, and fastening means between the plate and shell for maintaining them in engagement throughout the length of said rib.

5. An electric iron comprising a sole plate, an electric heater therefor mounted on the sole plate, a shell shaped so as to cover the sole plate and overhang the rear end thereof, mounted on the sole plate so as to enclose the heater element, a plate shaped so as to cover the upper part of the shell mounted on the shell and spaced therefrom throughout the major portion of the coextensive area of the shell and plate by a rib extending from one of said members into positive contact with the other of said members, a junction block of insulating material mounted in upstanding relationship on the rear part of the plate and a pilot lamp mounted in upstanding relationship on the forward end of said plate, a molded handle having a grip portion and integral front and back support portions, said supports being spaced apart and internally recessed at their bottoms `to receive the pilot lamp in the front handle -support recess and the junction block in the rear handle support recess when the handle is mounted thereon and screw means extending upwardly through the overhanging rear portion of the shell into the rear handle support and other screw means extending downward through the front handle support into the shell for detachablysecuring the handle to the shell.

6. rihe apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in that the front handle support is apertured to allow light from the pilot lamp to be visible, the screw means for fastening the front handle support being positioned so as to be accessible through said aperture. y

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further characterized in -that an electrical connection cord is attached to said rear handle support and is connected by exible lead wires to the junction block fixedly mounted on the plate.

8. In a sadiron having a sole plate a shell on the sole plate and overhanging the rear thereof, a one-piece handle of relatively non-heat conductive molded plastic for manipulating said assembly, said handle including integral upright front and back supports smoothly blended along curved surfaces into a relatively horizontal grip portion, the rear support including portions resting on said shell and overhanging the rear'edge of the sole plate, handle fastening screw means exending upwardly through the over-hanging part of the shell and into the overlying portion of the rear handle support, and a single fastening screw extending downwardly through the front handle support and into the shell at the center line of said handle, said screw being recessed into the handle at the front center line thereof and a metal plate overlying said recess and attached thereto, said front handle support being apertured adjacent the recess and said cover plate including a protuberance hooked into the aperture and a resilient member positioned to grip the edge of the recess.

W'ILLIAM H. Ii/ICLELLAND. ERIC J. AJAX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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